I am not sure I will ever not well up with emotions when I think about the blessings of our adoptions. Our six kids have been and continue to be the most amazing experience of my life. The fact that half of them came to us through adoption, well that just adds a lovely uniqueness that not everyone gets the privilege to experience.
4 days ago we sat before our local county judge for a second time, to re-adopt Asher. This re-adoption will allow Asher to become a US citizen and to get a US birth certificate (which in turn will allow us to get him a US passport). The judge was just as wonderful as she was with Anna and Gideon. She talked to all the kids and was subjected to Asher's non stop chattering, which was adorable and so Asher. :). I guess the biggest thing this the court hearing did for me was to allow me to reflect on our adoptions again. Our kids are just our kids. We don't make the adoption distinction near as much as other people probably do. Occasionally adoption comes up with the kids, but we mostly just live life as the Cole family, not the Cole family who adopted.
I just can't fully express to people how beautiful the miracle of adoption is. It is hard work and certainly weighs on a family to a degree (just with the time commitment and money it takes to get the child here), but I am hard pressed to think of many other things more worthy of our efforts. I 100% know that our little family is way better off with Anna, Gideon and Asher in our lives. And what a beautiful picture it paints of my adoption in Christ. Just a few days ago Madeline made a comment that Ryan and I weren't Anna and Gideon's "real" parents. Ouch, yes. I really don't believe she meant it badly, she loves Anna and Gee to pieces. Ryan, God love his soul, took the opportunity though to show Madeline (and Anna and Gee) the correlation between our family and the family of God. Madeline is a professing Christian, so Ryan asked her if she was a child of God. Madeline, almost defensively, said yes. Then Ryan asked her if God was her biological Father (yes, our kids to some extent know what that means), to which she said no. Ryan showed her how all Christians are adopted children of Christ. You could tell that it really made sense to her. I love that. I love how adoption does sometimes work into our daily lives and teaches all of us something from time to time!
Julie
Friday, October 26, 2012
Wednesday, October 17, 2012
Picture Overload!
Life is busy but good. I think that is the story of our lives in the fall. Our days are full of school, our evenings are full of soccer, piano and school functions. Our weekends are full of soccer (again) and church and some relaxation. It is a little crazy right now, but winter is very near and we typically slow down in the winter. Winter almost gets boring for me, almost. Even though it is busy, this is by far my most favorite time of year. I love fall, the crisp air, the leaves changing and Christmas/ the holidays on the horizon.
Right now the major thorn in my side is getting our kiddos documents in order. Anna and Gideon's adoptions were complete in 2007 and Asher's was complete in 2010 and we are still dealing with paperwork. This is partly my fault as I could have done some of this sooner, but oiy, it is such a pain. We are working to get all the kids US passports, so traveling outside the US isn't a problem. Once they all have US passports, we are DONE with paperwork for them. It is quite tricky. Anna and Gideon came home on different types of visa's, so Gideon had automatic citizenship when he crossed the border and Anna did not. We readopted them both at our local courts in 2009 and offcially changed their first names (they came home as "Cole's," but they weren't officially "Anna" and "Gideon" until 2009). Now Anna and Gideon are both citizen's with US birth certificates, social security cards and official names. But getting their US passports is harder than it is for most people. We have to do extra things including sending all their original documents to prove their "officiall-ness." So we are planning to have everything sent from the title agency tomorrow. Asher is still way behind in the process. His re-adoption hearing is next Monday, which is kind of exciting. We should be approved that day, but it could be weeks to months before we get his US birth certificate. We have to have that before we can even apply for his US Passport. Hopefully everything can be done by late January because we are going out of the country and US Passports would obviously be helpful.
Ok, enough chitter-chatter, on to pictures.........
Logan in action against the West Liberty 1 team (we are West Liberty 2)
Anna in action
My happy little guy taking a stroll.
Logan's new fair steer for next year. Right now his name is Samson 2, but that is incredibly lame, so I hope Logan comes up with a real name before this one sticks!
Madeline loves to climb trees and daddy loves to take pictures.
Leah and her good friends Grace and Kathryn all gussied up for homecoming.
My beautiful girl.
Awww, the goofiness of Gee. He is turning into quite the nut. Which is funny because only the select few get to see this side of him. Fortunately we are some of the lucky ones. :)
Ok, so I love this progression of pictures. Hopefully you can see them clearly enough to see facial expressions. My niece Samie is a senior this year and this was senior night for her for soccer. We took all the kids to cheer her on. The kids even made her a sign. I am sure Samie was feeling a little emotional anyways, but my sister told me Samie didn't loose it until she saw the sign the kids made for her. Ryan caught it all on camera.
Rhonda (my sister) pointing out the sign.....
Samie sees it......
Samie starts welling up.....
She tries to hide her tears.........
Crying......
Samie is just precious.
We went camping a couple weekends ago (in the pouring rain) and celebrated some birthdays. Here's my nephew Coleson getting ready to blow out his number 4!
Naomi and Lucy obviously having a funny conversation.
Anna giving Truett and piggie back ride.
Lucy (who just turned 3) enjoying her owl cupcake.
A great shot of Gee (my hubby is getting quite skilled with the camera).
A hay ride at MawMaw and PawPaw's.
Ryan and I occasionally get out for evening walks. Our country road (our mailbox is on the left).
The corn at dusk.
Goofball, take 2.
Goofball, take 3 and conteplating life.
Be still my heart, I love this beautiful girl!
Our pasture in mid September before Misti (the red Dexter) and her calf (Sierra, the little red calf back against the fence) went over to a bigger, greener pasture. Samson 2 is the black steer in the pic.
Until later!
Julie
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